Effect of Danshen injection on VEGF expression in SD rats with malignant obstructive jaundice caused by hepatocellular carcinoma

    XIA Rongª²Long, CHEN Xiaoª²Ping

    Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430030, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To establish malignant biliary obstruction model of SD rats and to study the effects of Danshen injection on the tumor size, inhibition rates and metastasis rates of hepatocellular carcinoma and the expression of vascular endothelia cell growth factor (VEGF) in carcinoma and periª²carcinoma tissues, adjacent lobe (leftª²internal lobe) as well as lung tissues. METHODS: Malignant biliary obstruction models of SD rats were made by vaccination of transplanted tumor in liver near the porta hepatis with walkerª²256 hepatocarcinoma cell line, which infiltrated and metastasized to proximal common bile duct and caused its narrowness and obstruction. The SD rats were divided into 4 groups: 0.9% NS (n=24), Inosine+VC (n=40), Danshen (n=40) and 5ª²FU (n=40) respectively. The diameter of transplanted tumor, inhibition rates and metastasis rates of hepatocellular carcinoma and the expression of VEGF in carcinoma and periª²carcinoma tissues, adjacent lobe (leftª²internal lobe) as well as lung tissues were observed. Statistical analysis was made. RESULTS: The diameter of the tumor was reduced and the inhibition rates and metastasis rates of hepatocellular carcinoma were upgraded after treatment of Danshen injection compared with those in the rats treated by 0.9% NS. and Inosine combined with VC (P<0.01), but the diameter of tumor was slightly downgraded after treatment of Danshen injection compared with that in the rats treated by 5ª²FU (P<0.01). The inhibition rates(41.7%) and the liver metastasis rate (59.7% and 81.1%) of hepatocellular carcinoma in rats treated by Danshen injection were similar with those in the rats treated by 5ª²FU (P<0.01). The expressions of VEGF in carcinoma and periª²carcinoma tissues were significantly downgraded after treatment of Danshen injection compared with those in the rats treated by 0.9% NS and Inosine combined with VC (P<0.01) and with those in the rats treated by 5ª²FU (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Danshen can inhibit the growth of hepatocarcinoma in SD rat models of malignant biliary obstruction through reducing the proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells, increasing the reversion of hepatocarcinoma cells and downregulating the expression of VEGF in carcinoma and periª²carcinoma tissues. ......